


A Nightmarish Day

by Makco



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 07:32:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14515464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Makco/pseuds/Makco
Summary: Penny's day didn't started very well, and sadly for her things were about to get worse and worse as the day went on.Now with cover art!https://imgur.com/KvuXl0w





	A Nightmarish Day

Penny woke up to the sound of the rain hitting the metal trailer furiously and turned around on the bed, looking around with confusion at the place she was in right now. Yes, her claustrophobic room in the trailer, the metallic walls being hit time and time again by the huge rain drops, her minuscule library barely distinguishable in the darkness, her desk, the little potted plant, her nightstand; everything was exactly the same as always, and Penny wasn’t very happy about this.  
-"Was it all a dream? Did I never actually married the farmer or moved into his house or had two beautiful children with him?" He thought to herself and sighed deeply, already used to having this kind of dreams and to be deeply disappointed when she wakes up from them, the fact she had them so often not making the waking up to her sad reality any less painful.  
She left her bed and took off her sleeping clothes to put on her usual skirt and yellow blouse, brushed her orange curly hair and fixed it into her usual hairdo, the hair easily forming into the curls she had it done for years, going to the kitchen sink afterwards to brush her teeth and wash her face, looking at herself in the mirror and noticing the faint outlines of bags under her eyes, only noticeable under close inspection but still there. At least Pam wasn't home to see her so sad, since by that time she was either at the Joja Mart or at the saloon drinking her life and sorrows away like she started doing since the bus she used to work broke and the mayor didn’t had the money to fix it, and Penny knew that if Pam saw her looking so miserable this morning she was probably going to have even more drinks than usual, and that never ended well.  
-"I just hope he received my letter. For better or for worse, today will be the day where our destinies either join or part ways forever." The thought of being rejected made her eyes wet, even though she was almost certain the farmer would reply in kind to her declaration of love, but there was that little bit of doubt in the back of her mind that she could never shake off, the part that thought that perhaps he was just being nice just like he did for the rest of the town, running around doing errands for them and giving them wonderful gifts for their birthday.  
She stopped just to remember the day of her own birthday, the memory making her cheeks turn red and making her smile wide even after her day started so sad. She was sitting under a tree, reading a new book she got from the library, enjoying her day off from tutoring and away from her metal home and her mother. She got a half-hearted "Happy birthday" from her Pam that day, which was really as much as she expected, and her friend Maru wasn't even there yet to wish her a happy birthday and keep her company. Then the farmer showed up with the largest, juiciest, most tasty melon she ever had, and he said it was all for her and wished her a happy birthday, making her go mute after seeing it and cover her cheeks with her hands to hide how hard she was blushing. Probably Pam mentioned to the farmer how much she liked melon, and the farmer saved the best of his summer produce just for her! She was barely able to thank the farmer before he left, her friend Maru chuckling at her and cracking jokes when she saw how flustered Penny was and why, and it was definitely the best birthday she had.  
The loud and annoying sound of the alarm clock broke her out of her daydreaming. It was time to go to work and she left her trailer to walk under the heavy rain to the library to wait for the arrival of the kids to continue their tutoring, hiding from the rain under the alcove in the face of the building once she arrived there. Time passed and passed but neither Jas or Vincent appeared, making Penny grow very worried about them, her discomfort increasing when she spotted the farmer and waved at him, but he was too worried about the rain and in a hurry to go to the blacksmith shop to even notice her, not even turning his head to give her a glance as he went about his business, and apparently even him was having an awful day, with very noticeable bags under his eyes and a furrowed brow.  
She sighed deeply and started to walk to Vincent's home, very slowly despite the furious downpour of rain on the whole valley, soaking everything under the sun which at that moment was completely hidden behind a wall of dark gray storm clouds, her mood just as gray and gloomy. Once she made it to front of Vincent's house she knocked on the door and Sam opened it, the bags under the blonde young man's eyes and his sulky expression indicating he wasn't in his usual cheerful, lighthearted mood either.  
-"Yes?" He asked abruptly, his expression not softening one bit, his brow furrowing more by the second.  
-"Uhm, well, was wondering why Vincent didn't..." Sam abruptly interrupted her and sighed, annoyed.  
-"We are both pretty sick thanks to this damn weather. Well, Vincent got sick then the little flea got me sick too!" Penny frowned at his words and glared at him with angry green eyes.  
-"Hey! Don't call you little brother a fl..." Again, Sam interrupted her mid-sentence, nostrils flaring with exasperation.  
-"You better leave now, or you'll get sick too. Bye."  
Without any other word he rudely closes the door in front of her face. She blinks, taken by surprise by Sam's horribly bad mood, her nostrils flaring and her fists clenching in anger, and starts to make her way towards Marnie's ranch in search of Jas, getting her shoes all muddy when the paved path ended and the dirt path started, making her trip all the more difficult in addition to the rain that relentlessly poured down nonstop. She was expecting Marnie to tell her Jas was sick too but instead witnessed something far more unsettling and worrying.  
From the outside she heard Jas, Shane, and Marnie arguing in the ranch, and even though the sound of the rain and the walls made it impossible to understand what they were saying, all three sounded very angry, and after the sound of plates and glasses breaking the voices sounded even louder and angrier, though it was still impossible for Penny to understand anything from the yelling. She decides to turn around to leave and not even bother them, and picked up speed after she heard the sound of a window breaking and a heavy glass mug flying very close above her head, only missing her for a few inches. She ran back to the town, accumulating even more mud on her shoes, looking up at the darkening sky while trying to shield her eyes from the rain mercilessly poured down and blanketed the world in a heavy cold shower. She must've spent more time than she realized when she went to look for the kids, it was nighttime already, the town dimly illuminated by lamp posts, though with the rain only a little area around them was lit. Instead of heading to the trailer she called home she headed towards the mountains to make her way to the bathhouse where she was to meet the farmer she cited there via mail.  
The night was black as pitch, the darkness only broken from time to time by lightning, the loud thunder startling her and making her jump everytime, strong cold winds blowing against her, the howl it made muting every other sound around while the large raindrops hit her body with almost enough force to hurt. Even though the gloomy night made the walk to the bathhouse an unpleasant and frightening experience, the thought of the beloved farmer she was going to meet there kept her going despite all the adversities she had to endure during the day. She imagined herself declaring her love for him in the hot water of the bathhouse after the cold, awful day, and the farmer replying in kind, and holding each other and kissing long and sweetly. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when she looked to her right and saw the tent of the homeless man that camped there razed, ripped off the ground by the howling wind, and the man nowhere to be found. Hurrying up the pace and hoping the man was safe wherever he went, she continued her trip to the bathhouse, finally spotting the building, noticing a few broken windows with the help of the lightning, though not worrying too much about it as she opened the door and entered. Once inside the bathhouse she took her frilly blue bathsuit from her locker and put it on after she took off her soaked clothes, soon after entering the hot water of the pool that quickly warmed up her cold body and changed her mood for the better.  
She waited for the farmer that was supposed to meet her there, patiently, until the long lonely minutes turned into long lonely hours, and still no sign of the farmer and it looked like he wasn’t going to even show up tonight, much less with the awful weather. The water was so very cold after the long wait, her lips turned blue and her teeth chattered from the low temperature, the chilling water also sapping her from all happiness and hope and feelings of sadness and despair took over her mind and spirit. "What could've kept the farmer from meeting me here? He seemed to be in such a hurry going to the blacksmith shop, surely he had better things to do than to meet with a foolish girl in love with him." She felt her consciousness slowly fading away, the cold now numbing her mind along with her body and the expression of her face turning sadder and sadder with every moment. "Was it all a lie? He always sounded so sincere. Perhaps it was all too good to be true, why would he pick me, there are a lot of better and richer women than me in town… and I’m sure everywhere else too." She just looked down and pouted, wrapping her arms around her body to try in vain to keep the warmth, and soon after began crying, the awful day ending in an even more awful night and breaking what little hope she had for a better life with a man she was so deeply in love with. "Why would he pick a pathetic, crying little girl like me anyway? I have nothing to offer to anyone." Crying and numb she began to make her way out of the pool, slowly, her legs weakening more with every step, her limbs finally going limp from the cold when she was at the border of the pool, the weariness and sadness making her legs give out and making her fall on the cold pool again, her body too weak and numb to gain footing and swim up to get above the surface. She closed her eyes and stopped breathing, surrendering herself to her bitter fate, almost welcoming the end of such a miserable life for her, her vision soon fading to black, though in the last second before the end she felt two warm, strong arms pulling her from the pool and shaking her at the same time a very well known voice called for her.  
-"Penny? Penny, what's wrong?"

-"Penny! Penny, wake up honey!"  
Penny gasped and opened her tear filled eyes. The first thing she sees after she wipes off her tears is the worried face of her husband, then she looks around to check and see if everything was right again. The farmhouse, her husband, her children looking just as worried as their father, they were all there right where they belonged, and most joyous of all, she was there too! That awful day was all just an horrible nightmare and not real! Makco pulled her close into a hug and made her rest her face on his shoulder and ran his hand along her hair, caressing her head lovingly, and she began crying again, letting go all the built up tension that bad dream caused. Even the toddlers went to her side and hugged to give their mother more love and support while she started to calm down, her crying becoming more and more quieter until she stopped fully, taking away her head from her husband's shoulder that was now soaked with her tears. Makco then made her lay on the bed again put his pillow and hers together so she would be more comfortable, and kissed her forehead softly.  
-"It breaks my heart when you have those bad dreams, honey. Don't worry, you lay down here and watch TV while I make you a bowl of your favorite soup and some muffins!"  
While she settled on the comfortable bed and pillows, and turned on the TV, Makco stole a quick kiss from her and went to the kitchen to prepare the food he promised, a bowl of tom kha soup and several poppyseed muffins, probably more than what she could eat in a day, all for his distressed wife, bringing all to her in a platter, and he dragged a small table next to the bed so she would have the food close and within reach. Makco leaned down a bit and tapped and pinched her small nose playfully and gave her a warm smile.  
-"Don't you even think about going to work today, miss, you’re taking the day off! I want my dear wife to feel like a queen today, like she deserves. I'll go to the town to inform Jodi and Marnie so they don't send the children to the library. I'm sure Jas and Vincent will be delighted they don't have class today."  
Penny smiled wide and looked up at him with her big green eyes of hers.  
-"Honey, can I ask what did you saw in me? I still can't believe we are married." She looked down and sighed, her expression turning sad again when she remembered the last part of her nightmare.  
-”That nightmare I just had… it brought up a lot of insecurities I had bottled up from before we got married.”  
Makco smiled at her and sat at her side, gently pulling her head to his chest and caressing her hair and her curls he liked so much.  
-"Well, I first I found cute how shy and awkward you were, and I loved that sweet gesture you had with George. Then I found out you tutored the kids and enjoyed doing so, and that you dreamed of having a family of your own and I wanted the same thing. So here we are, you have a huge house, two beautiful children and a husband and I have a gorgeous wife that is always so supportive to share it all with her."  
Seeing Penny satisfied with his answer, he leans close and kissed her forehead, and dons his straw hat, then heads to the door ready to leave the farmhouse.  
-"Perhaps I'll go to the mines and get you a big emerald with a green color as beautiful as the green of your eyes. And my dear, you don't have to carry all of your burdens alone anymore. Don't forget you have me for everything you need me for, the good, the bad, the happy, and the sad things. I won't be out for long and when I come back we can cuddle and you tell me about your nightmare."  
He winks and blows a kiss to his wife, to which she responds in kind.  
-"I'll be back real soon. Hope you get well, dear, love you!"

**Author's Note:**

> My very first work! A big thank you to the Stardew Valley community for being so supportive and for the constructive criticism.


End file.
